Dry mop dust cleaner



April 2,1957 A. FLAM DRY MOP DUST CLEANER Filed June 1, 1955 United States Patent DRY MOP DUST CLEANER Abraham Flam, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application June 1, 1955, Serial No. 512,369

1 Claim. (Cl. 15-142) This invention relates to improvements in devices for removing dust from dry mops.

The cleansing of dry mops by shaking the mop head thru open windows, over newspapers or into pails and other similar receptacles is unsanitary and otherwise objectionable. Firstly, the mere shaking of the mop head does not remove the dust sufiiciently and secondly a substantial portion of the particles recirculate into the atmosphere.

Consequently it is the primary object of this invention to provide a dust remover for dry mops adapted to thoroughly extract the dust particles from the mop strands, prevent the dust from recirculating into the surrounding atmosphere and which is further adapted to deposit the dust into a pail or on a newspaper or the like.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a dust remover for a dry mop equipped to be firmly held in position over a piece of paper or within the open end of a pail for the purposes of depositing the dust on to the paper or into the pail.

Further objects and inventive details will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the dust remover.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an operator using the remover in connection with a newspaper used to collect the removed dust.

Figure 3 is an elevation, partially in section of the dust remover when used in connection with a pail.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a dust removing tooth and the support therefor.

Referring to Figure 1, the dust remover is seen to comprise a tapered container of circular cross-section open at both ends. The larger inlet end 11 provides access for the insertion therein of a dry mop 12 such as shown in Figure 3. An eyelet 13 is secured to container adjacent the end 11 for the purpose of hanging the container on a wall hook when not in use.

A pair of wire tabs 14 are pivotally secured to the container adjacent the smaller outlet end 15 by means of hinges 16. When the tabs are positioned as shown in Figure 1, the operator can straddle the container and stand on the tabs pinning the container in a desired location. When in the other extreme position adjoining the wall of the container (phantom lines) the container can be wedgedly inserted into the mouth of a pail 23 as shown in Figure 3. The tabs, in the latter case act to augment the wedging action thereby firmly securing the container within the pail 23.

Spaced grates bars 18 are secured to the interior of the container between the open ends and span the space between the container walls. A plurality of regularly spaced teeth 19 project from the surfaces of the grates and the interior surface of the container between the grates and the large end 11.

The combined combing effect of the teeth 19 and the scraping action of the grates 18 provide an extremely eflicient means for removing dust from the mop strands. The grates provide a perforated supporting surface for jarring the mop and the teeth separate the mop strands prying dust therefrom.

Moreover dust which has been deposited through the grates is partially restrained from recirculating axially into the atmosphere surrounding the container by the grates and radially from the container by the container walls. It should be further noted that the grates are closer to the outlet end than to the inlet end whereby dust leaving the mop due to the cleansing of the mop will be more apt to descend through the outlet end into a receiving receptacle.

Where it is desired to deposit the dust upon a piece of paper, the container is placed with the outlet end 15 abutting the paper 20 (Figure 2). The tabs 14 are pivoted to also abut the paper, and the operator 21 stands over the container with his feet bearing on the tabs. The mop head 22 is agitated against the grates and the container walls to cause dust removal by the combined action of the teeth and the grate. Dust leaving the mop falls thru the grates, the outlet end 15 and finally upon the newspaper which is rolled up and discarded.

If desired the dust remover can be used in conjunction with a pail as shown in Figure 3. The outlet and smaller end 15 is wedged into the mouth of a pail 23 with the tabs paralleling the container wall surface. As before stated the tabs aid in more firmly securing the container within the pail by increasing the wedging forces. Then in a fashion similar to that described in connection with Figure 2, the mop is agitated resulting in the deposition of dust in the pail.

It is now apparent that the disclosed device provides an economical and efiicient means for removing dust from a dry mop and depositing the same on a piece of paper or in a container such as a pail.

Although a lightweight, durable metal is preferred for fabrication purposes, other materials such as plastic, wood, rubber, etc. are within the inventive scope.

Although the embodiment shown is preferred, it should be understood that other forms resulting from diverse changes in size, shape and arrangement of parts are within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having duly disclosed the details of the invention, a grant of Letters Patent is thus solicited for the new and useful article of manufacture as defined in the following claim:

A dust remover comprising, in combination, a container of frusto-conical shape adapted to fit partially within a closed receptacle with the smaller end of said container disposed towards the interior of said receptacle, a plurality of spaced parallel bars secured to the interior of said container adjacent to and substantially in a plane parallel to the smaller end thereof, a plurality of spaced rigid teeth carried by each of said bars and facing towards the larger end of said container, said smaller end and said larger end being open, said bars forming a grate through which dust is adapted to pass into said receptacle, the interior surface of said container between said bars and said larger end comprising additional spaced rigid teeth facing towards the center thereof adapted to cooperate with said teeth on said bars to engage a dust mop and free the dust therefrom, and the interior surface of said container between said bars and said smaller end comprising a smooth uninterrupted surface adapted to permit the free passage of dust into the receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 591,035 Doherty Oct. 5, 1897 1,852,216 Painter Apr. 5, 1932 1,943,449 Marshall Jan. 16, 1934 2,526,485 Kortick Oct. 17, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 598,273 Germany June 11, 1934 

